Neil ashdown

Make some intrusive surveys of a sample percentage of the 40 doors. If the cores are the same as fire doors, it may be possible to retain them and upgrade as necessary. "NFR" on a sticker on top of the door doesn't mean the core is unsuitable, it may be the same core as the fire doors.

https://www.lorientuk.com/products/architectural-seals

Generally, the maximum threshold gap for a fire resisting door is 10mm. For a door that is required to restrict the spread of cold smoke its 3mm. 3mm is often difficult to acheive due to imperfect floor conditions, so a 10mm gap is acceptable so long as its sealed with a flexible seal. Ref. BS 8214: 2016 Timber-based Fire Door Assemblies Code of Practice. UK Gov fire door safety guidance reconises this difficulty. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/677fbe166f01ae28ab5c0554/A+guide+to+making+your+small+block+of+flats+safe+from+fire+2024.pdf Page 18

As Mike says, the managaing agent may have had some sort of survey or inspection including the flat entrance doors. So they should be able to provide details about why the doors are non-compliant and why they should be replaced. If they have defects, why can't these be remediated instead of replaced?

Bryony at https://www.ironout.co.uk/ can help

Samual Heath at https://concealeddoorclosers.com/powermatic-r100-concealed-door-closer/ New Star at https://www.new-star.co.uk/products/agb-eclipse-self-concealed-hinge-with-door-closer?_pos=1&_psq=self-closer&_ss=e&_v=1.0 Contact them and the door manufacturer to check suitability for your type of door, fire rating and end use.

Fire resistance performance test evidence does exist for some night latches. But compliance also depends of the core-type for the timber-based fire door in question. An experienced fire door inspector should be able to assist you. Failing that, an experienced fire risk assessor may be able to help.

If that's the only reason why the latest inspection has found the door to be unsuitable, the inspector would need to back up their finding with the relevant documentation.

If the installer says the door is non-compliant due to the thickness being 42mm or 43mm (rather than 44mm) and requires replacement, they should back that up with the relevant documentation (guidance/certification/product data sheet etc). If they can't, then what basis do they have for making that recommendation?

So, has the Installer said why the door needs to be replaced? At residential blocks below 11m in height, there's no statutory requirement to inspect fire doors to a particular schedule but there is (under Article 17 of the Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Order 2005) a legal obligation, as you would expect, to ensure fire doors "are subject to a suitable system of maintenance and are maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair". See https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2005/1541/article/17

End to end butt jointing of intumescent seals is acceptable if done tightly and well fitted. But don't mix different types. This website is worth visiting https://www.ifsa.org.uk/

The thickness of the door depends on the relevant certification / evidence of fire performance for the door. Also see Also see https://www.howdens.com/joinery/doors/howdens-spey-35mm-plywood-flush-fd30-fire-door-obj-sku-family-25409973 Refer to the relevant UK Gov fire safety guidance for the type of resirential block inn question eg: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fire-safety-in-purpose-built-blocks-of-flats https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/making-your-small-block-of-flats-safe-from-fire

You could consult https://wilkinsoncc.co.uk/ for certainty about your responsibilites.

You could try https://www.ironout.co.uk/

Sorry I don't, you could try third party certificated companies for example https://www.blueskycert.com/installation-maintenance-and-inspection/

Based on my experience it might be from this company? https://www.komfort.com/products/timber-doors-frames/?portfolioCats=173

Does the door security viewer (spy-hole) have an intumescent gasket between the viewer and the core of the door. If it has, that's a good sign that its compliant. If the door is on an escape route, the lock should be a keyless egress (thumb-turn etc). Removal of the viewer and gasket will enable you to inspect the core of the door too.

42mm minimum Check out Certifire certificates of approval for intumescent edge seals.

"As I have mentioned before we have Windsor Type doors with 10 panels per door, 5 at the bottom, up to 80cm x 10 cm wide." Difficult to see a safety issue with clear wired glazing in a door when the glazed panels are only 100mm wide.

Generally speaking, product performnace certification for fire doors does not cover repairs to the fabric of the door. There are certification schemes for repairs and they have limited scope for the extent of a repair. If you are unsure about whether a repair is appropriate, consult a specialist. They can issue a report stating whether the repair is fit for purpose..............or not.

Hi Stu, These are quite common for Flat Entrance Doors but in practice are often locked when the resisdent is at home to avoid an uninvited visitor. From a fire resistance perspective, only doors with evidence of fire performance in an unlatched configuration are suitable. Flat Entrance Doors of course are also held shut with a self-closing device. My understanding in terms of CPR, is that such night latches are outside the scope of CE & UKCA marking. https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/1387/contents However, many fire door manufacturers require that locks fitted to their fire doors are CE or UKCA marked. Therefore, product performance certificate would, in these cases, be invalid.

A BS 8300 compliant door self-closer should provide much easier operation that a standard one.

Assuming the doors are made from timber? You don't say the fire rating for the doors, assuming FD30? You don't say if the self-closers were removed from the top edge or vertical edge of the door? In my opinion: Foams and mastic are unsuitable for filling large holes and voids in fire doors. Use hardwood timber (min density min 640 kg/m3) tightly fitted without any gaps or voids after the repairs have been completed. The very smallest of gaps can be filled with intumescent mastic or fire rated woodfiller. Quality of work should be the same as expected from a skilled joiner, so that once painted the repairs are undetectable without close examination. I wouldn't recommend repairs to the top edge of the door, if its in a life-safety critical location. Replace instead. Keep records of the work carried out and details & certification for the products used.

Refer to the earlier post in this thread. In such circumstances, there is no requirement to replace hinges for the sole reason that they do not carry a CE / UKCA mark.

More worrying that the 'inspector' failed to comment about the disconnected self-closer!!! That's far more serious than an excessive door to frame gap. The gap issue can usually be best rectified by adjustment of the door frame jamb. But subject to survey, lipping replacement might be possible.